Food intolerances and sensitivities can potentially create serious problems for your cat. Food intolerances often result in irritated skin, poor coat conditions, and gastrointestinal upset. So it is important to find the best food for cats with ibd if your kitty has this issue.
If your cat suffers from health issues, like vomiting, diarrhea, or weight-loss, IBD may be the culprit. And if they are dealing with food intolerances, or health conditions, like IBD, it’s important to feed them the right cat food.
The right food means your cat can absorb essential nutrients, proteins, and vitamins to combat irritation and digestive issues.
Cats with IBD may be tricky to deal with and can cause stress on their owners, who might not know how to treat them. This list introduces some of the best foods for cats with IBD.
Contents
What is IBD?
Feline IBD, Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a syndrome, rather than a disease, and is common in cats. It’s a condition induced by an inflamed and irritated gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
As well as being painful and uncomfortable for your feline friend, IBD thickens their GI in response to the irritation. When this happens, it becomes difficult for them to absorb nutrients and move food along.
What Causes IBD?
Inflammation is a reaction to changes in food, insult, injuries, or foreign substances. And depending on the type of IBD, different intestinal cells are affected. This is why it may be quite tricky to determine what is causing your kitty’s upset tummy.
At the moment, there isn’t an exact cause of IBD. But evidence suggests that it relates to the bacterial population in the intestines, diet, the immune system, and several environmental factors.
IBD generally doesn’t occur in younger cats. Rather, cats aged 5-12 are commonly diagnosed with the condition.
Possible causes:
- Bacterial infections
- Parasitic infection, such as worms
- Allergy or intolerance to proteins that are commonly found in cat foods
Signs of IBD and Diagnosis
Vomiting, weight-loss, chronic diarrhea, and poor appetite are common signs of IBD.
When diagnosing a cat with IBD, extensive tests and evaluations are done. The process needs to be done efficiently because many prevailing symptoms can relate to other health issues that cats often face.
7 Best Food for Cats with IBD Options
One of the first steps to treating IBD is dietary modifications and various medications. This is, of course, based on the recommendation of a vet or specialist. Many IBD foods require a prescription.
Below is a list of the best foods to feed your kitty if they suffer from IBD, or food sensitivities and intolerances.
1. Hills Prescription Diet Feline z/d for Skin/Food Sensitivities
Cats react to certain types of proteins found within popular ranges of cat foods. And while these proteins are rich in health properties, some cats react badly to them.
The Hills Prescription food sensitivities product has been developed to manage diet sensitivity, as well as aid in reducing the possibility of adverse food reactions. It is formulated with proteins and nutrients with low allergens.
Such as single animal-source protein, which minimizes the chances of adverse food reactions and prevents harmful conditions.
The food targets many health problems prominent in cats, such as IBD and gastrointestinal disease. With high levels of essential fatty acids, this product also nourishes your cat’s skin and coat, to prevent skin conditions that may arise with IBD.
⇒ Shop USA Hills Prescription Diet Feline z/d for Skin/Food Sensitivities Dry Food / Wet Food
⇒ Shop UK Hills Prescription Diet Feline z/d for Skin/Food Sensitivities Dry Food
2. Dr. Elsey’s Cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Dr. Elsey’s grain-free dry cat food is formulated with natural proteins found in cats’ wild-caught prey. With this natural design, the food removes all of the added proteins and allergens found in common retail cat food produce.
With high-quality ingredients, including chicken as the main ingredient and healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, your kitty will be left feeling active and happy. The fatty acids also play an important role in keeping the gut healthy and aiding in healing.
Many cats who suffer from IBD show remarkable weight loss and a lack of appetite. The fact that this grain-free food is made up of 90% protein means your kitty can maintain healthy body weight.
⇒ Shop USA Dr. Elsey’s Cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
3. Royal Canin’s Veterinary Diet Selected Protein Adult PR Dry Cat Food
Royal Canin’s selected protein food is specifically designed for our feline friends who don’t do well with food composed of foreign substances. Their food is made up of high-quality, novel products that are rarely associated with food allergies.
The highly palatable wet and dry cat food is crafted with natural proteins found in rabbits and peas. This means your kitty is getting a well-balanced diet of protein and fiber.
The added fiber helps proteins move slowly through their digestive tract, promoting nutrient absorption.
This is another great IBD-related food product that contains fatty acids that aid in healthy skin and coats. The added fatty acids soothe itching skin, hair loss, and overall skin sensitivity – which is brought on by an irritated gut.
⇒ Shop USA Royal Canin’s Veterinary Diet Selected Protein Adult Dry Food / Wet Food
4. Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food
Stella & Chewy’s has designed their cat food with the philosophy of including all the goodness that cats got in the wild before they were domesticated. The food features only the healthiest, yummiest ingredients to prevent your pet from suffering from IBD.
Containing no grains or gluten, a common allergen, this product is made with up to 98% cage-free poultry, like wild-caught fish and chicken. The protein provides optimal energy sources, which improves appetite and is free from allergens.
Given that the food is free-dried, it retains optimal nutrients that you would find in raw food. This food can be served in either dry or wet form. For picky kitties, rehydrate the food with warm water to soften it.
⇒ Shop USA Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food
5. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Cat Food
This Blue Buffalo Wilderness salmon recipe is ideal for cats suffering from IBS and showing symptoms such as vomiting, weight-loss, bloody stools, and diarrhea.
The wholesome ingredients of salmon, sweet potatoes and peas, do not contain any added preservatives or artificial flavors that may irritate.
The prebiotic fibers and probiotics derived from whole foods aid in healthy digestion, which prevents diarrhea and vomiting. While protein aids in healthy muscle growth and development.
With a unique blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and superfoods, when eating this cat ibd food your feline will not only be avoiding artificial ingredients, but they’ll also be strengthening their immune systems.
⇒ Shop USA Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food / Wet Food
6. Royal Canin Sensitivity Control Adult Dry Cat Food
This Royal Canin sensitivity control cat food for ibd provides the perfect support for cats who suffer from food hypersensitivity needs. The sensitivity food is composed of carefully selected protein sources, to help reduce the risk of allergic reactions.
Just because your cat suffers from IBD doesn’t mean they should miss out on pet food’s healthy fatty acids and nutrients. This lactose- and gluten-free product includes a balanced variety of nutrients to cultivate healthy bacteria for their digestive system.
While IBD causes internal irritation, cats often suffer from skin irritation as a secondary result. With added biotin, niacin, and zinc, your cat’s skin will be strengthened to help protect them from external irritants.
⇒ Shop UK Royal Canin Sensitivity Control Adult Dry Cat Food
7. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Feline Formula Cat Food
An important factor when dealing with kitties who suffer from IBD and other gastroenteritis problems is keeping their food as natural as possible. This Purina Pro Plan food is specifically formulated for cats dealing with gastrointestinal conditions while maintaining an excellent taste for your cat to enjoy.
The high-protein meals are energy-dense and digestible. This means that your cat can absorb all the nutrients found within the food, but also allows for food to pass easily.
⇒ Shop USA Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Feline Formula Dry Cat Food / Wet Food
⇒ Shop UK Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Feline Formula Dry Cat Food
To Conclude, the Best Cat Food for IBD
IBD is a common disease that many cats suffer from. And while it’s essential to seek medical advice and the right medication, your cat’s food can play an enormous role in easing the symptoms.
The right ibd cat food can help absorb nutrients, prevent allergic reactions, and deliver healthy proteins to strengthen your cat. They can also maintain a healthy weight, keep your kitty active, and support their immune systems.
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Please Note: This best food for cats with IBD post contains affiliate links. That means if you click through on most of the links and end up making a purchase I will receive a small commission. This will not effect the price that you pay. I wanted to make sure that you were aware of this.
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Amanda created and owns The Discerning Cat. A lifelong cat lover she is the proud parent of two Siberian cats, Alexei and Vladimir. She is passionate about understanding cats and different cat breeds.